Student Affairs

A to Z

Academic Load

The maximum load that may be carried by a student each term is eighteen (18) credit hours. Students seeking to enroll in more than eighteen (18) college prep, vocational, and/or college credits in a single term must have the prior approval of an advisor, department head, division director, or appropriate program coordinator.

Factors to weigh in granting approval include the following: student's GPA and past record, nature and level of courses, total course time requirements, student's work schedule, and/or other outside commitments.

Academic Success Center

Located in E-149 of E Building on the Niceville Campus, the ASC provides free tutoring in many academic subjects to all Northwest Florida State College students. Tutoring is also available on the Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, and DeFuniak campuses. Computers for word processing and English tutorials are also provided, along with a video library covering many subjects.

Call (850) 729-5389 for hours and availability of tutorial assistance, or visit the ASC website. Also see Mathematics Lab. A math lab and computer lab are also available at the Fort Walton Beach campus for students needing assistance in these areas.

Access and Review of Records

A student or parent* will be accorded access to the student's record within a reasonable time after the submission of a written request to the custodian of that record. Suitable arrangements will be made to permit the record to be reviewed in the presence of the custodian of the record.

*Rights of parents: Once a student reaches the age of eighteen, or is enrolled in a post-secondary program, parents no longer have any rights under the Privacy Act unless:

The student gives written consent to release the information to the student's parents, or

The parents provide evidence that the student is a dependent of the parents as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or

The student is a high school student enrolled in an accelerated program, such as dual enrollment, early admissions, or concurrent enrollment.

A student has the right to request the amendment of their educational record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. The student should write to the College Registrar, clearly identify the part of the record he/she wants changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his/her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedure will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

A student has the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the offices that administers FERPA is:

Address Changes

It is the student's responsibility to keep information current by officially notifying the college. The student's signature is required to make changes or students may make changes electronically by using the RaiderNet system and a PIN (Personal ID Number). Forms to change residence, mailing address, telephone number, etc. are available at any Northwest Florida State College location and from the Office of Enrollment Services, (850) 729-4901.

Application Deadline

Applications should be submitted before you intend to register for classes. However, admission applications may be processed on the day of registration. Students may register without verification of previous coursework in some Northwest Florida State College courses but official transcripts from all previously attended colleges (including AP, IB, DANTES, and CLEP scores) must be received prior to the next registration period. It is important to note that during this time no financial aid can be released until the student has been fully admitted to the college and all official transcripts have been received and evaluated.

Child Care

The Northwest Florida State College Mary Lou O'Connor Child Development and Education Center provides comprehensive, quality care and education for children ages 2 to 5. The center is nationally accredited and is open to dependents of Northwest Florida State College students, staff, faculty and members of the community on a space available basis. The center offers the Florida voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program for eligible 4-year-olds.

The center is located in Building "M" on the Niceville Campus and is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (850) 729-6081.

College Stores

On the Niceville campus, the College Store is located in the College Mall (Bldg. "K") and on the Fort Walton Beach campus it is in the Student Services Building. Regular store hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday; 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Friday. The stores maintain special registration hours during in-person registration through the end of the schedule adjustment period. Call the Niceville store at (850) 729-5384 and the Fort Walton Beach store at (850) 863-6511 for special registration hours.

Copyright Policy

Employees and students will comply with the U.S. Copyright Law. Employees and students may use, perform, or reproduce copyrighted works when authorized by (1) licenses or written permission from copyright owner; (2) the fair-use guidelines (available from the Learning Resources Center); (3) the principle of fair use; (4) specific documented exemptions in the copyright law. Copyright items include print, video, electronic data, performances, music, and computer software.

Employees and students who willfully disregard this policy or the specific provisions set forth in the College Copyright Manual (available in the Learning Resources Center) are subject to state and federal penalties as well as college disciplinary action. The College will refuse to grant a request to copy material if fulfillment of the request might lead to a violation of the copyright law. For further information call (850) 729-5392.

Course Numbering

Courses numbered 1000 or higher generate college credit. Courses numbered lower than 1000 generate vocational credit, except those courses numbered less than 1000 and which carry the prefix MAT, REA, or ENC which generate college preparatory credit. Courses with a prefix that begins with an "X" are non-credit only regardless of the number.

Credit Hours

One college credit is awarded for each 15 lecture hours of instruction, 30 lab hours, or appropriate combination of lecture and lab hours for courses numbered 1000 or higher. One vocational credit is awarded for each 30 hours of instruction in courses numbered lower than 1000; however, courses numbered below 1000 and which carry a prefix of REA, MAT, or ENC are awarded college preparatory credit and may not be applied to program completion. Courses with numbers that begin with an "X" do not carry credit hours regardless of the number level and may not be applied to program completion.

Crime

Campus crime statistics and Institutional Security Policies can be found in the College Catalog indexed under Crime, Summary of Reported Campus Crimes. Federal and State law requires a person designated as a sexual predator or offender to register with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The FDLE then is required to notify the local law enforcement agency where the registrant resides, attends, or is employed by an institution of high learning. Information regarding sexual predators or offenders attending an institution of higher learning may be obtained from the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction for the particular Northwest Florida State College Campus or Center, or by calling FDLE hotline (1-888-FL-PREDATOR) or (1-888-357-7332), or by visiting the FDLE website at www.fdle.state.fl.us/.

Should you be a victim of or a witness to a crime please notify campus security:

Dependent / Independent Students

For Financial Aid eligibility, a dependent student is any person, whether or not living with his or her parent, who is eligible to be claimed by his or her parent as a dependent under the federal income tax code and who receives 51 percent of their cost-of-living expenses from his or her parent or legal guardian.

An independent student is any person, age 24 or older, living independently without parental or legal guardian support with financial resources sufficient to live independently as established by the College in accordance with federal financial aid guidelines.

For Florida in-state tuition purposes, a dependent student is any person under the age of 24 who is claimed by his or her parent or legal guardian as a dependent under the federal income tax code.

An independent student for Florida in-state tuition purposes is any individual 24 years of age or older or an individual under the age of 24 who claims his/her self on their federal income tax return and who has income greater than 50% of the Cost of Education at Northwest Florida State College as determined by the Financial Aid Office for an independent student.

Questions regarding independent / depending status should be directed to either the Financial Aid Office at 729-5370 or the Office of Enrollment Services at 729-4901.

Dishonored Checks

A $25.00 fee (this fee is subject to change) will be charged for each dishonored check received by the college. A student will not be permitted to register while a dishonored check is outstanding. If a student has already registered and his/her check is dishonored, the check and fine must be taken care of within 14 days of advisement from the college or his/her registration will be cancelled. Students with a history of dishonored checks may be precluded from paying by check.

Employment

Opportunities for student employment on campus are listed with Northwest Florida State College Niceville Campus Financial Aid Office in the Student Services Building ("C-1"). For more information on off-campus employment, call the Student Job Center at 729-4936 or visit the center in C-2, Room 201.

FACTS.org - Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students

FACTS, the Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students system, allows access to student services and resources for Florida public community colleges and universities, and many private institutions. Northwest Florida State College students may apply for admission, register for classes, apply for transient status, view their student transcripts, run a degree audit or track progress toward graduation. FACTS can be accessed either through the college internet site or directly through the FACTS web site at www.facts.org.

Financial Aid

As with all aid programs, to be considered, a student must apply. Information and forms can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office, Student Services Building ("C-1") on the Niceville Campus, or at any Northwest Florida State College location.

Food Services / The Raider Cafe

The Raider Cafe, located in the College Mall, Building "K", on the Niceville Campus, is open Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during the fall and spring terms and Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. during the summer term. Vending machines are located near Building 3 at the Fort Walton Beach Campus and at the Niceville Campus. They are located at Buildings B, C, E, J, K, and Q. Vending machines are also available in the student lounge areas at the Chautauqua and Sikes Center.

Grade Changes

If a student believes there is an inadvertent error in the recording or computation of his/her grade, the student should contact the instructor or the appropriate department office immediately. If an error has occurred, an adjustment to the student's permanent record will be made within approximately 10 working days. The student is responsible for reporting such concerns within 30 days of the close of the term in which the grade was awarded.

Identification Cards

RaiderCard debit cards are issued to students after registration fees are paid. The RaiderCard is used for identification at the College Store, Business Office and for attending Northwest Florida State College events at no charge. The RaiderCard is also used for checking out books and other materials from the Learning Resource Center (Library) and accessing electronic information databases via the Internet. The RaiderCard can also be used as a debit card and students can add money to the card and use the card to make purchases on campus at the College Store and certain vending machines.

Students on financial aid will receive their financial aid refunds on NWFSC Discover prepaid debit cards that are mailed to students after the RaiderCard has been issued.

RaiderCards are issued only once. A $15.00 fee is assessed each semester when the student registers. Once all registration fees have been paid, the RaiderCard is automatically updated for that semester. Lost cards may be replaced for a $15 fee. RaiderCards are issued on the Niceville Campus in the Student Activity Office in K-Bldg. and on the Fort Walton Beach Campus in Building 1. For more information about RaiderCards, see the RaiderCard Guide at:https://raidernet.nwfsc.edu/FCCSC/sitespecific/InstructionsStudentGuideforRaiderNetAccessCard.pdf or call the Student Activities Office at (850) 729-5348.

International Students

Contact the Office of Enrollment Services, Student Services Building ("C-1"), Niceville Campus, telephone 729-6922 or 729-5319. Application is required four months in advance of enrollment..

Library Hours

During the fall and spring terms, the library on the Niceville Campus is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hours vary during the summer terms. For questions or additional information, call 850-729-5395.

Mathematics / Sciences Lab

Students seeking assistance with mathematics classes may come to the Mathematics Lab located in L-131 Niceville or on the Fort Walton Beach campus, Building 4, Room 403. The lab is equipped with computers and has tutorial and practice computer programs for the mathematics courses. All students are welcome and are encouraged to take advantage of the lab for help or for group studying. Services are free. The hours that the lab is open and the times that tutors are available are posted on the door. You may also find a listing of all lab hours on the Learning Support Website.

Military Credit

Air Force training is evaluated upon receipt of the Community College of the Air Force transcript. Other training is evaluated according to the program in which the student enrolls. Credit earned in other branches of the service is evaluated as recommended in the ACE Guide. Contact the Registrar, 729-4901, for additional information. Credits will be awarded only for classroom instruction in military schools.

Notaries

A notary is located in the Office of Enrollment Services in Building C1 at the Niceville Campus, 729-4901, to notarize documents pertaining to the college. Notaries are also available at the Eglin center.

Parking

All students and staff are required to have decals which are available free of charge from the ID/Debit Card Office. Northwest Florida State College students are permitted to park in white lined spaces. Blue-lined spaces are designated for handicapped persons (including students); green-lined spaces are for visitors; and yellow-lined spaces are for faculty and/or staff. Parking and traffic regulations are enforced; and penalties are assessed.

Penalties are:

Parking Tickets

$25.00

Tire Boot Removal Fee

$10.00, plus the parking ticket fine of $25.00 TOTAL = $35.00

Towing and Storage Fee

Actual Charge

Fines must be paid in order to enable continued registrations and release of transcripts. Complete traffic and parking regulations are available from Physical Plant, 729-5380.

Payroll / Pell Grant Checks

Payroll checks for student workers are disbursed from the Business Office on the last working day of the month. Pell Grant checks are mailed from the Business Office upon advisement from Financial Aid that these checks are ready for release. Pell Grant, FSAG and SEOG checks will be mailed to the students approximately three weeks after the close of regular registration. (NOTE: IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR ADDRESS CURRENT. CHANGES CAN BE MADE ON THE RAIDERNET WEBSITE, AT ANY NWF STATE COLLEGE CENTER OR THE OFFICE OF ENROLLMENT SERVICES AT THE NICEVILLE CAMPUS, BUILDING C-1.)

Release of Student Information

The following information may be released to the public unless students advise the college each semester by the end of late registration to withhold these items: "Name, address, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, photographs, weight and height of members of athletic teams, photographs, dates of attendance, enrollment status, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended." See the Dean of Students, Building F, 850-729-5371, for a form to request withholding this information.

Residency Classifications

To assess fees, students are classified as FL residents, Border State residents, or non-Florida residents. A student's "residency classification" is determined at the time of initial registration. To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes a person (or their parent/legal guardian if under age 24) must have established and maintained legal residence in Florida for the 12 months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the term for which enrollment is required. Residence in Florida must be for the purpose of establishing a permanent home and not merely incident to enrollment at an institution of higher education. Living in or attending school in Florida does NOT establish legal residence of the same state as their parents unless one parent has established legal residence in Florida for more than 12 months.

To be eligible for the Alabama Border State Fee the student must complete the Alabama Residency Form and meet all criteria as stipulated on the form to include proof of Alabama residency. The Alabama border state fee is only applicable for freshman and sophomore level classes. Upper division courses for Alabama residents are assessed at the out-of-state rate.

Special Needs Students

Students with special needs are required to discuss the process for receiving accommodations with the Office for Students with Special Needs (850) 729-6079 at the Niceville Campus. All information provided is confidential.

Student Bill of Rights

Florida Community College Associate of Arts graduates are guaranteed certain rights under the Statewide Articulation Agreement (State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.024). Should any guarantee be denied, students have the right of appeal. For additional information, refer to the current college catalog or the Senior Vice President at (850) 729-5363.

In-Person Registration Hours: In addition to the normal business hours listed above, the following hours are also in effect one week prior to the start of classes until the end of the schedule adjustment period at the Niceville Campus, Fort Walton Beach Campus, Bob Sikes Center in Crestview, and the center in DeFuniak Springs:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Friday

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Summer hours during the period of June 1 through July 31 at all Northwest Florida State College locations, except Eglin AFB, are: Monday thru Thursday -- 7:30am to 6:00pm. Closed on Fridays.

Summer Sessions

Summer Session I classes meet for 12 weeks; Session II and Session III classes meet for 6 weeks each. A student earns full course credit for Session II or Session III classes since each class meets for the required number of contact hours.

Testing Services

The Testing Center is located in Building "C-2", Room C-212, at the Niceville campus. Various tests are administered by the Center. The PERT (Postsecondary Education Readiness Exam)is given at all Northwest Florida State College campuses and centers. Please contact each center for exact times and location or refer to the current Schedule of Classes for a listing. Other tests, such as CLEP, DSST, SAT, ACT, TABE, and GED are administered by the Testing Center. Exact dates and times are listed in the testing schedule available from the Student Services Department. Contact 850-729-6016 for a listing of test dates and times. Appointments for FCPT, CLEP & CAT CLAST can be made by calling 729-6016 or by registering online.

Textbook Buy-Back Information

The College Stores allow students to sell back their textbooks at the end of each semester. Notices will be posted on both campuses announcing dates and times of buy-back. Call the Niceville Campus Store at 729-5384 or the Fort Walton Beach Campus Store at 863-6511.

Transcript Requests

Transcripts are sent to Florida public colleges and universities electronically at no charge. Effective July 1, 2011, NWFSC charges $5 for all other transcripts. Requests will be fulfilled provided the student does not have any outstanding obligations to the College. Students can complete an electronic transcript request for another Florida institution by logging into the RaiderNet system.

Transcript requests for institutions other than Florida public colleges and universities can be submitted by mail with the $5 fee included to the NWFSC Registrar's Office; Attn: Transcripts.

Transient Students

Currently enrolled Northwest Florida State College students may request approval from the Vice President for Instruction to concurrently enroll at another college or university under limited extenuating circumstances. Students should complete an Application for Transient Study form prior to enrolling at the other institution. These forms can be obtained from any Northwest Florida State College Center/Campus or from the Office of Enrollment Services at the Niceville Campus. Students may also apply by logging onto the RaiderNet system and clicking on the FACTS.org link. Approval of transient study requests is determined by the Associate Dean, Student Services/Registrar and the Senior Vice President according to established guidelines. Guidelines are available from the Office of Instructional Services or Enrollment Services.

Writing-Across-the-Curriculum

All associate degree students must complete at least one three-credit writing class as part of their general education program. Additional writing activities are required in all general education humanities courses. Bachelors of Applied Science and Associate of Arts students must complete twelve (12) to fifteen (15) college credits from the general education communication, humanities and selected social science subject areas.